


The Night Shift

by good_mythical_miles



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: EMT Rhett, Emergency Medical Technicians, M/M, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-19
Updated: 2015-10-19
Packaged: 2018-04-27 01:44:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5028892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/good_mythical_miles/pseuds/good_mythical_miles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s Rhett’s first night on the job as an EMT.  His first patient is a distressed Link Neal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Night Shift

“Are you ready, McLaughlin?” Jared asked the larger man.

It was Rhett’s first night as an EMT. He’d gone through all of the necessary training, and now he was starting his first shift in an ambulance. Jared, his supervisor, had been on the job for a few years already.

“I hope so.”

“Hop in, my man.”

Rhett climbed into the passenger side of the large vehicle. “So, how’s this gonna work exactly?”

“How ‘bout, for the first half of our shift, I’ll drive and you’ll ride in the back with the patient. We’ll switch for the second half.”

“Sounds good.” Rhett’s heart was racing. “I hope nothing too crazy goes down tonight.”

“Oh, that’s one of my rules. Never say anything like ‘It’s quiet tonight.’ As soon as you say that, all hell breaks loose.”

“Got it,” Rhett nodded.

“I can tell you’re freaked out,” Jared acknowledged. “You’re definitely up for the job. It takes a special sort of person to be able to do this. You’re that kind of person. I already can tell.”

“Thanks,” was all Rhett could respond.

Jared turned the key and started up the vehicle. Rhett anxiously fiddled with the patches on his uniform as the sun began sinking below the horizon. The night shift was from 8 pm to 4 am. “What have I gotten myself into?” he thought to himself. He’d been in training for a long time, and he loved what he did. He had been excited to finally get into an ambulance, but now that he was potentially responsible for somebody’s life, the pressure was on.

“Just a reminder—I know you know this already—but we see folks at their worst. So–”

“Be patient. I know.”

“Exactly.”

The first few hours of their shift were extremely boring. A few calls did come through, but there were other units closer who could respond quicker than they would’ve been able to. Jared gave Rhett permission to take a short nap, breaking his own rule. In all his years as an EMT, he had never had such a quiet shift. So as not to waste gas, Jared parked the ambulance on the side of the road. As Rhett dozed, Jared kept his focus glued to the radio.

Just as Rhett began to wake up, a 911 dispatcher’s staticy voice came through the speakers.

“Shit,” Jared hissed, starting the vehicle and turning on the sirens with lightning speed.

Rhett jolted up and asked frantically, “What’d she say!?” He was pretty sure he knew what the code was for, but he prayed that he was wrong.

“Apparent suicide attempt.” The address of the incident appeared on a screen in front of them.

Yep. He heard right.

The buildings next to him were a blur as Jared sped wildly down block after block.

The dispatcher’s voice started again. “A neighbor returned from vacation and caught a glimpse of the scene through the window.”

“Okay, here’s what we’re gonna do when we get there,” Jared began. “We run in and assess the situation. If the cops aren’t there already and the injuries aren’t too bad, you try to find the note—if there is one. Don’t touch anything, though. We don’t want to mess up a potential crime scene.”

“Got it!” Rhett’s adrenaline was rushing.

Rhett’s head almost hit the window as Jared took a turn a bit too sharp. A blonde woman was standing on the sidewalk and waving her arms, flagging the two medical technicians down. Jared slammed on the breaks and they both grabbed their bags before rushing to the neighbor.

“He’s right in the front room!” she cried. “There’s a spare key under the door mat!”

Without pausing, the two men sprinted past the woman and to the house. Sure enough, there was a key on the front porch. They entered and took a second to figure out they needed to go to the left.

In that next room, what Rhett saw shocked him. A man, about 6 feet tall with black, shaggy hair and glasses was on the floor in a pool of his own blood. His eyes were closed, but he was breathing. Rhett was still frozen when Jared sprinted forward and got to his knees, quickly assessing the cuts. Rhett snapped out of his daze when Jared yelled, “I think I can get the bleeding under control! You go try to find a note or something for the cops when they show up!”

“Got it!”

As Rhett searched the room frantically, he heard the man’s shaky voice groaning, “Nooo…”

He soon found a piece of paper with black ink on it near the fireplace. One word stuck out: gay. He turned around and said, “Found it.”

“So, definitely suicide?”

“Yeah. No question.”

“Oh, yeah. Here’s the weapon.” Jared opened the man’s clenched fist to find a box cutter. Rhett grimaced. “What’s your name?” Jared asked repeatedly, trying to get a response from the barely-conscious man.

“L…”

“His name is Link Neal…”

Rhett and Jared hadn’t realized the neighbor had followed them inside. “Link!” Jared said loudly. “Did you take any pills?”

He shook his head.

“I think the bleeding is under control, Rhett. You still good with riding in—“

“Yeah, I’ll handle it.”

“Okay.”

They quickly got Link into the ambulance. Rhett sat on a small bench next to the bed and, as Jared began driving, monitored Link’s vital signs. He started to talk to the hospital via radio. “Patient’s name is Link Neal. Looks to be in his…mid-thirties… Clearly a suicide attempt. Two deep cuts to each wrist. The bleeding is controlled. Patient is conscious, but a bit delirious.”

When Rhett looked down to Link’s face, he noticed tears for the first time. The man’s weak, shaky voice reached his ears over the sirens. “Would you…” He held out his hand. Rhett grasped it in his own.

“You’re gonna be okay, Link. Everything’s gonna be okay.”

“Why’d you come?” the smaller man choked.

“Your neighbor saw you through the window.”

“Yeah, but—“

“I saw your note,” Rhett muttered. Should he be saying this? “Did you do this because you’re gay?”

Link nodded, eyes closed. “Everyone hates me.”

“No they don’t.”

“You don’t know me.”

“Do I hear an accent?”

“I grew up in North Carolina.”

“I did too. I get it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I’ve had the same feelings that you’re having right now, but trust me, the world is changing. There’s nothing wrong with being gay.”

“You mean…?”

“I’ve never tried to commit suicide, but I’ve come close. Being gay in the south is hard, but you’re out of there now.” Rhett squeezed Link’s hand tighter as if to reassure him.

His eyes opened and he looked up at Rhett. “Thank you,” he whispered before letting out a soft cry. The man’s clear blue eyes shone brightly under the tears and the fluorescent lights of the ambulance.

Rhett felt like he was breaking some sort of a rule when he thought to himself, “He’s beautiful…” Rhett was having a difficult time keeping his own emotions at bay. “You’re gonna be okay, brother.”

Before Link could say anything more, Jared slammed on the breaks. They had arrived at the hospital. The ambulance doors flew open and Rhett helped his partner wheel their first patient into the emergency room.

Back outside, leaning against the side of the ambulance, Jared sighed deeply. “I’m sorry that had to be your first call. There are a lot of things in this job that you get used to, but suicide attempts are not one of them.”

Rhett scratched his beard thoughtfully. “Do you think he’s gonna be alright?”

“I don’t like thinking about that. We did everything we can.”

“Yeah…”

Before either man could say anything else, another call came through on their radio. Despite the many calls and patients Rhett attended to over the next few hours, Link Neal was always in his thoughts. He wondered what was going on back at the hospital. Was he alright? What would happen to him when he was released?

It was about a week and a half later. Rhett had gone home after a particularly grueling shift to sleep. When he awoke, he decided to treat himself to a pastry and coffee.

He sank into a large burgundy armchair in the dark café with his meal. Breaking pieces off of the blueberry scone, he zoned out while listening to the calming indie music filling the room. He was startled when somebody unexpectedly sat in the chair across from him.

“Mind if I sit here?” a somewhat familiar voice asked.

Rhett’s jaw dropped. “Link Neal…”

“Male, mid-thirties, clearly a suicide attempt,” he whispered. The expression on his face was difficult to read.

Rhett glanced down at the man’s hands on the table. They were still wrapped in bandages. “How… How are you?”

“A lot better than I was when we met.”

“I can tell,” Rhett laughed awkwardly. “What are you doing here?”

“Same thing you are, I assume. I came by to get some brunch. I love it here.”

Rhett nodded slowly. “I’m glad you’re doing better.”

There was a heavy silence between the two men, neither of them looking at the other. Finally, Link took a deep breath and exhaled, getting ready to ask a difficult question. “This might be inappropriate, given the circumstances we met in, but… Would you… Would you be willing to…go out sometime?”

Rhett raised his eyebrows in shock. He couldn’t speak. “Uh… Uh… I…”

Link’s face sank. “I knew asking would be a mistake. Forget I said anything.” He stood to leave, but Rhett caught him by the arm.

“Wait!” Rhett was surprised by the volume of his voice. Quieter, he said, “I’d love to get something to eat sometime, Link.”

“Really? You’re not just…taking pity on me?”

“I find you incredibly attractive, and you seem like a great guy who had a tough time. I’d love to get to know you better.”

Link’s eyes started welling up with tears. “I’m so glad you were the one in that ambulance with me.”

“I’m glad I was too.”

Link’s face showed a sudden realization. “I… I just remembered, I don’t even know your name…”

“Oh!” Rhett chuckled. “I’m sorry. I’m Rhett. Rhett McLaughlin.”

“Rhett and Link. I like the sound of that.”

Link smiled, and it was one of the most beautiful things Rhett had ever seen.


End file.
